Protocol Committee begins post-election engagement with largest political parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly
From 3:10pm on Wednesday 25 May, the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland Sub-Committee begins taking evidence from representatives of the largest political parties in the Northern Ireland Assembly after the 5 May Assembly elections.
Watch the evidence session: Parliamentlive.tv
Background
Following the 5 May elections, and the Government’s subsequent announcement of its intention to bring forward legislation to deal with the perceived negative impact of the Protocol, the Committee will hear evidence at its meetings on 25 May and 8 June from senior representatives of the five largest parties in the Assembly. This evidence will contribute to the Committee’s follow-up inquiry into the impact of the Protocol, following on from the Committee’s July 2021 introductory report.
Meeting details
The Committee will subsequently hear evidence from Doug Beattie MLA, Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP, Leader of the DUP, at its meeting on Wednesday 8 June.
Possible questions
- What is your party’s overall position in relation to the Protocol?
- How would you assess the economic impact of the Protocol since it came into force? What benefits and drawbacks would you identify?
- How would you assess the political and social impact of the Protocol in the context of the 5 May Northern Ireland Assembly elections, including on the functioning of the Executive and Assembly?
- How are attitudes to the Protocol within the communities in Northern Ireland evolving?
- What is your response to the Foreign Secretary’s announcement of her intention to “introduce legislation in the coming weeks to make changes to the Protocol”?
- What is your perspective on the EU’s proposals to modify the Protocol? Do they go far enough to address concerns over its operation?
- How can the divergent concerns and priorities of all communities in Northern Ireland, as well as London, Dublin and Brussels, be reconciled?